Pursuit toy



Dec. 31, 1940. BQNNETT ETAL 2,227,241

PURSUIT TOY Filed Jan. 5. 1938 3 9 JOHN BONNETT ANTHONY sen/1.1.40:

BY 3 l ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 31, 1940 PURSUIT TOY John Bennett and Anthony Schillace, Girard, Pa., assignors to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 5, 1938, Serial No. 183,439

12 Claims.

'I'hisinvention relates to toys and more particularly to a toy having two mobile units one of which follows the other as though in pursuit.

The primary object of the invention is to gen- 5 erally improve toys of the specified character. A more particular object is to devise such a toy in which the second unit gains upon and finally reaches and stops the first unit as though effecting a capture. In accordance with a further feature and object of the invention, the first unit is made to simulate a speeding automobile, and the second unit a police motorcycle pursuing the speeding automobile and bringing the same to a halt. Still another object of the invention is to provide guide means causing the second unit to follow in the trail of the first unit even though the two units are independent and driven by separate motors. This is most simply accomplished by running the wheeled toys in a track. To in- 211 crease the realism of the complete toy and to help explain the presence of the track, we prefer to elevate the track on appropriate trestles or supports so that the track simulates an express highway on which the vehicles are traveling.

25; To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other more particularized objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention consists in the Wheeled toy and braking and track elements and their relation one to the other as hereinafter are 30, more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a toy embodying fea- 35 tures of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned side elevation taken through a part of the toy;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken in plan in the plane of the line 3- -3 of Fig. 2;

40 Fig. 4 shows the trestle and one end of a track section in perspective in order to illustrate'the manner in which the parts of the track are assembled together; and

Fig. 5 is a bottom view explanatory of the 45 wheel layout of the motorcycle toy.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. l, the complete toy assembly comprises a first wheeled toy F, a second wheeled toy S, and guide means in the form ofa track T on 50 which the toys run. Each toy is provided with its own driving motor, but the second toy is arranged to travel somewhat faster than the first toy. The toys follow one another around the track a number of times, the second toy gradu- 05 ally gaining upon and finally reaching thefirst toy. The first toy is provided with appropriate means to bring it to a stop, and this means is preferably controlled by the second toy. More specifically, in the present case the first toy has a rear bumper B, and this bumper is moved or 5 tilted by the second toy, as is shown in the broken line illustration at the top of the drawing. The

braking means on the first toy is connected to the bumper and is operated thereby, thus bringing the first toy to a halt, and this, of course, 1 blocks and stops the second toy.

In the specific example here illustrated'the first toysimulates a speeding auto and the second toy a motorcycle policeman. It is convenient for reasons hereinafter explained in connection with the wheel arrangement on the motorcycle, to provide the motorcycle with a side car.

It will be understood that the wheeled units may simulate other vehicles, as for example two autos one of which pursues the other, or may simulate animals running on concealed or inconspicuous wheels. In the latter case one animal will seemingly pursue and finally overtake and capture the other.

Considering the arrangement in greater detail, the auto F comprises a sheet metal body l2 supported on freely rotatable front wheels l4 and rear driving wheels l6 which are secured to an axle |8. The toy is driven by a conventional spring motor the parts of which are carried in a frame 20. The winding stem is indicated at 22, and it will be understood that a conventional spiral ribbon spring is carried in the motor frame, with one end secured to the frame and the other end secured to the winding stem. Winding stem 22 is geared by an appropriate train of step-up gearing to the rear axle l8, and s0 functions to drive the toy.

In order to stop the toy, we provide braking means including a finger 24 pivoted on the bot- '40 tom of the toy at 25. This finger is movable into or out of engagement with a pinion 28 connected for high-speed rotation to the regular step-up gear'train of the spring motor. The pinion 28 is driven by a gear 30, and the latter meshes with one of the gears of the regular gear train between Winding stem 22 and axle I8. Brake finger 24 is projected rearwardly beyond pivot 26 to form an arm 32 which carries a simulated automobile bumper 34. A stop 36 is bent up from the bottom 38 of the toy and functions to limit the oscillation of the bumper in one direction, the position then being that shown in solid lines in the drawing. The bumper is readily tilted from the solid line position to the broken line position 34', thus moving the finger 24 to the position 24' at which time it engages the teeth of pinion 28 and so locks the motor against further rotation. It will be understood that the stopping means may be controlled by reciprocation rather than tilting of the bumper, as where one automobile pursues another. In the present case it is convenient to use a tilting movement for the reason that the forward wheel of the motorcycle is located near one edge of the track and so is naturally adapted to bear against one end of the bumper, with result,- ant tilting of the same. The forwardly movable end of the bumper of course corresponds to that side of the track on which the motorcycle is located. I

The motorcycle S probably needs no detailed description. It is provided with a side car 40, thus eliminating the need for balancing the motorcycle. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the wheel 42 of the side car may be spaced from the wheel 44 of the motorcycle by an amount equal to the spacing between the automobile wheels and suitable for proper running in the trough 4b of track T. The side car also increases the available room within which the spring motor may be housed. The spring motor may be conventional and requires no detailed description. The usual square winding stem for the spring projects at 4'! to receive a key. Stem 41 is geared to the axle of wheels 42 and 4A in the conventional fashion. The motor is preferably designed to drive the motorcycle toy somewhat faster than the auto. A simple way to do this is to make the motors of similar design but to make the motorcycle wheels somewhat larger in diameter than the automobile wheels. A small concealed idle wheel 48 may be provided near the forward end of the side car, this functioning to keep the toy pointed longitudinally of the track.

The track T is made of sections, the straight sections being indicated at 50 and the curved sections at 52. Each section is made of a single piece of sheet metal bent upwardly at the sides to form flanges 54 defining the trough-like track 46 therebetween. The metal is then bent outwardly at 56, downwardly at 58, and inwardly at fill, thus forming channels at the side edges of the track sections which strengthen and rigidify the same. The edges of the sheet metal are concealed so that the track has a sturdy appearance.

The track is supported in elevated position by a trestle 62 struck from heavy-gauge sheet metal and bent to inverted U shape configuration, it comprising a cross bar 64 and side legs 66. The metal is flanged at B8 to lend rigidity to the structure. The cross bar 64 is surmounted by a sheet metal holding plate Ill. This consists of sheet metal bent to generally follow the configuration of the track sections, the metal being bent upwardly at 72, outwardly at 14, and downwardly at T5. The dimension of the parts is made such that the holding plate is received snugly within the end of the track section One section is applied over one end of the holding plate and the adjacent section over the other end, the sections coming together at the middle in edge to edge or abutting relationship, at which time the holding plate 10 is housed within the track sections and is completely concealed.

The holding plate is secured to the trestle by appropriate tongue and slot connections 78. In order to insure centering of the trestle support beneath the ends of the track, we prefer to strike a locating projection 8i! downwardly at the middle of trough 46 near the end of the track section. This projection bears against the edge of holding plate til at a point such that the end of the track section comes over the center of the trestle. It will be understood that the outer edges 16 of holding plate 10 are spaced apart further than the top 64 of the trestle, so that there is no interference between the trestle and the track sections.

This method of track assembly has the advantage of dispensing with the use of conventional track pins. The ends of the track sections are not of special contour and simply conform to the body of the track section. Moreover the holding plate is located inside rather than outside the track sections, and consequently the guide flanges at the sides of the track are left smooth and do not interfere with movement of the vehicles along the track.

It is believed that the construction and operation as well as the many advantages of our improved pursuit toy will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. It will also be apparent that while we have shown and described our invention in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.'-

We claim:

1. A toy assembly comprising first and second wheeled toys, a motor on each of said toys to drive the same, the driving means of said second toy being arranged to run the same slightly faster than the first toy, braking means to arrest movement of the toys, and means adapted to operate the braking means when the second toy reaches the first toy.

2. A toy assembly comprising first and second wheeled toys, means to guide the second toy to run behind the first toy, a motor on each of said toys to drive the same, the driving means of said second toy being arranged to run the same slightly faster than the first toy, means on thefirst toy to arrest its movement, and means on the second toy adapted to operate the said means on the first toy when the second toy reaches the first toy.

3. A to-y assembly comprising a track, first and second wheeled toys adapted to run on said track, a motor on each of said toys to propel the same along the track, said second toy being arranged to run slightly faster than the first toy, means to arrest movement of the toys, and means adapted to operate the said means when the second toy reaches the first toy.

4. A toy assembly comprising a track, first and second wheeled toys adapted to run on said track, a motor on each of said toys to drive the same along the track, the driving means of said second toy being arranged to run the same slightly faster than the first toy, means on thefirst toy to arrest its movement, and means on the second toy adapted to operate the said means on the rear by an object moving faster than the toy.

6. A toy assembly comprising a first wheeled toy, a motor for propelling said toy, a bumper movably mounted at the rear of said toy, braking means in said toy for stopping the toy, and means connecting said bumper to said braking means for actuating the braking means upon movement of the bumper, a second Wheeled toy, and motor means for driving said second wheeled toy at a speed somewhat faster than the first, whereby said second toy is adapted to pursue and reach and brake the first toy.

'7. A toy assembly comprising a first wheeled toy, a motor for propelling said toy, a bumper movably mounted at the rear of said toy, means in said toy for stopping the toy, and means connecting said bumper to said means for actuating the said means upon movement of the bumper, a second wheeled toy, motor means for driving said second wheeled toy at a speed somewhat faster than the first, and means to guide the second toy to follow the first toy, whereby the first toy is stopped when overtaken by the second.

8. A toy assembly comprising a track, a first wheeled toy, a motor for propelling said toy along the track, a bumper movably mounted at the rear of said toy, means in said toy for stopping the toy, means connecting said bumper to said means for actuating the said means upon movement of the bumper, a second wheeled toy also adapted to run on said track, and motor means for driving said second wheeled toy at a speed somewhat faster than the first, whereby the first toy is stopped when overtaken by the second.

9. A toy assembly comprising a first wheeled toy simulating an auto, a. motor for propelling said toy, a bumper movably mounted at the rear of said toy, braking means in said toy for stopping the toy, and means connecting said bumper to said braking means for actuating the braking means upon movement of the bumper, a second wheeled toy simulating a police vehicle, and a motor in said toy for driving the same at a speed somewhat greater than that of the toy auto, the police vehicle functioning to move the bumper when it overtakes the auto.

10. A toy assembly comprising a first wheeled toy simulating an auto, a motor for propelling said toy, a bumper oscillatably mounted at the rear of said toy, means in said toy for stopping the toy, and means connecting said bumper to said means for actuating the said means upon tilting of the bumper, a second wheeled toy simulating a police motorcycle, a motor in said toy for driving the same at a speed somewhat greater than that of the toy auto, the forward wheel of the motorcycle functioning to tilt the bumper when the motorcycle overtakes the auto, and means to guide the motorcycle to follow the auto.

11. A toy assembly comprising a track, a first wheeled toy, a motor for propelling said toy along the track, a second wheeled toy, a motor for propelling the same along the track at a speed greater than that of the first toy, a bumper movably mountedon one of said toys at the end adjacent the other toy, means for stopping the toys, and means responsive to movement of said bumper for actuating the stopping means, where by the toys are stopped when the second toy overtakes the first toy.

12. A toy assembly comprising a track, a first wheeled toy simulating an auto, a motor for prop-elling said toy along the track, a bumper oscillatably mounted at the rear of said toy, means in said toy for stopping the toy, and means connecting said bumper to said means for actuating the said means upon tilting of the bumper, a second wheeled toy simulating a police motorcycle, a motor in-said toy for driving the same at a speed somwhat greater than that of the toy auto, the forward wheel of the motorcycle functioning to tilt the bumper when the motorcycle overtakes the auto.

JOHN BONNE'IT.

ANTHONY SCHILLACE. 

